Melbourne Stars have appointed Meg Lanning as captain for Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 12, replacing Annabel Sutherland after two seasons in the role. Lanning, 34, has played 109 WBBL matches and captained the Stars in five previous seasons. Sutherland, 24, has played 10 WBBL seasons and appeared in 55 T20 matches for Australia. She will remain part of the leadership group while focusing more on her performances on the field.
Sutherland’s recent achievements include scoring a Test century in January, playing an important role in Australia’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup win in July, and earning Player of the Tournament in The Hundred in August. Her decision to step away from captaincy will allow her to focus on her on-field contribution. New coach Richard Pyrah praised her choice, saying, “It takes a lot of courage and humility for Annabel to recognise that the best thing for the team is for her to focus on her performance and stand aside from the captaincy,”
Pyrah has worked with Lanning, Sutherland and Kim Garth. He believes shared leadership can help the team and said, “We’ll no doubt see the best version of Annabel, which we’ve seen so often on the global stage, for the Stars this season.” He has also been impressed by Lanning accepting the opportunity to captain again. The coach wants the senior players to share responsibility instead of leaving it to one person. He also wants the team to enjoy its cricket, and win games the right way.
Lanning said she had not expected to captain again but wanted to help Melbourne succeed. “It wasn’t on my radar to captain again, but I want to do what’s best to help the team win,” she said. She explained that senior players had discussed working together to lead the side rather than allowing the responsibility to fall on one person. Lanning is happy to take on the role and believes this approach can help bring the best out of each player.
Sutherland wants to continue developing her leadership skills while making a strong contribution on the field. She believes sharing responsibilities can help her make a bigger impact with both bat and ball. She also expressed confidence in Lanning’s experience, saying, “We know we are in great hands with Meg – she knows the game as well as anyone and has had so much success as a captain.” Sutherland will work with Lanning and Pyrah this season, after spending a season with Pyrah in The Hundred. She expects the experience to help her grow as a player and captain.
The Stars reached the finals in WBBL|11, with Lanning scoring 479 runs. Melbourne have 12 contracted players, with three roster spots still open before the season opener on October 29. The contracted group includes experienced players and emerging talent, with Lanning returning to lead the side and Sutherland continuing in a leadership role.
Melbourne Stars’ Contracted Players for WBBL 12
Sophie Day, Charlie Dean, Kim Garth, Dani Gibson, Maisy Gibson, Amy Jones, Meg Lanning (C), Rhys McKenna, Indigo Noble, Georgia Prestwidge, Zoe Samuel, Annabel Sutherland
With Lanning returning as captain and Sutherland staying involved as a leader, Melbourne will enter WBBL 12 with shared responsibilities. The Stars will look to build on their WBBL 11 finals appearance and prepare for their opening match on October 29. Their leadership group will aim to support individual performances, create an enjoyable environment and help the team win games the right way as they prepare for the upcoming season. Pyrah also stressed that shared leadership reflects collective effort, with senior players working together this season.
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